Storm clouds loomed over the plains. The day became a gloomy nightmare. A pitch-blackness washed over the roots and shrubs beneath resilient leaves.

The future became the present as the day continued, and within the woods below Pain's lair, the booming sounds of thunder echoed into the air. These sounds were caused by a ground-scarring fight between Joanne and the B-rank adventurers from the Earth Kingdom.

Below the ships and lined along the hills, soldiers of the Lightning Kingdom were staged in blatant preparations for an invasion. Sigurd eyed a familiar round body shape leading the massive army.

The inside of the inn was booming with a drunken song, “B the Feller of Tyrants”. Former Guardians of Dagon City, dressed in their white winter padded gambesons vests, drank frozenbite rum and sang around a raging spit that warmed the inn and roasted red slabs of meat.

The temperature dropped fifty degrees below zero. Traders, caught within the storm, hunkered in tents that thrashed against the storm. Drago, the lone adventurer who trudged toward the Fire Kingdom, now caught himself sheltering within the tunnel curves of a cave with a fat campfire at his feet and blood painting his leather trousers.

The night was cold, and the wind was strong as a slick and elongated silver airship took off from the Azure Mountain Villas. Inside the airship, a hundred people filled the grand cabin. They ambled up and down, lined up at the eatery and pubs, or sat before the windows to gaze down at the zipping shadows below them.

One was kicking up snow as he patrolled. His mind was lost in an argument he was having with himself. His mouth moved as if he was talking, but no sound was coming out. Another daywalker halted his patrol to lean against a wall. There were tears in his eyes, and he grabbed at his stomach as it rumbled.

The fourth night of 2nd Winter was a joyful affair for the Redead Vampires. After nearly four years of war, tensions, and losing loved ones, they now have a place to call home. Unfortunately for others, sour regret ran through their mind.

On the 4th night of 2nd Winter, clouds blotted the skies above Dagon City, leaving great patches of darkness to drift along the plains. The stone walls that surrounded the small city were nearly complete.

The window was nothing but a gateway into the inner workings of the grand castle. Just outside, a thin metal walkway ran along within a gapping tunnel. A sudden vibration shook the air as a small airship glided through.

Over a week ago, cradled within a snowy mountain range, the Azure Mountains Airship Docks of North Star were bustling with workers, adventurers, and travelers.

Sometime in the future, a group of Earth Kingdom adventurers had made it into the southern wilds. Two parties of five trotting alongside each other upon horses stopped at the slope leading up the side of a mountain.

Deep below the city, the tunnels were quiet, the homes were empty, and squirrels and mice alike skittered around, taking shelter from the snow above.

On the 26th night of First Winter, an uproar shook Ristau awake. He resided on a high floor carved within the upper root of a mile-hi tree. He extended his hand to brighten his Lighting Crystal, revealing his light caramel skin tone and thin white braids that flowed down to the center of his back.

As the morning slowly came, Pain and his people prepared for Ignis's meeting with Cain.

Morning bore its light down on the eastern encampment where Charlie, draped in his usual black winter cloak, oversaw the staging from the western wall.

She bellowed. Drago Waters, Warrior/Knight, who was berating parties to let him join, snapped his head in her direction. His hazel eyes widened in worry. He didn't want to deal with this old hag and shuffled through the crowd.

And he abruptly ended the call. Lorenzo took a deep, shaky breath as his irritation quaked through him. These leaders had become too complacent. These months of silence have gotten to them. But Lorenzo knew a way to rekindle that fear.

The nightwalker’s fear of eyes clouded his mind and was amplified by the fog. Around him, a freaky swarm of unblinking eyes began to surround him.

Upon arriving, the door was open, and Chance was nowhere to be found.